//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: Old Friends 
// by WALN-Zell 
//------------------------------//

Blazing got off the wagon, flipped the driver a bit, and looked around at the scenery of Canterlot. The streets were very busy. Ponies dragging carts with crates of goods were abundant. At the end of the street, passed all the hustle and bustle was a tower. The Canterlot garrison.
Blazing was in town to meet up with an old friend from the academy who had just graduated. Blazing took no time to admire the city any longer. He had a limited amount of time to meet with his friend, then he had to report in to the Commanding General of the Sky, supreme officer to all pegasi in the royal guard and military.
He knocked on the front door and a slot opened where two eyes appeared.
“State your position and business.” The guard on the other side said.
“Captain Blazing Wings. West Delamare Garrison. Meeting with Commanding General Silver Crest.” Blazing replied.
“Enter.” The guard opened the door and let Blazing in then gestured to the main room. Blazing stepped in and immediately saw the difference from his garrison and Canterlot’s. Everything was neat and tidy. There were several filing cabinets, the books on the shelves were organized and there wasn’t a drop of alcohol in sight. There were two guards conversing. One of them looked to the entrance of the room and noticed Blazing.
“Officer!” The two immediately stood at attention.
“At ease.”
“You’re here for that meeting aren’t you?”
“Indeed I am. I need to check in with your captain first.”
“Present.” A stallion in a red uniform appeared from behind one of the bookshelves. “Blazing? Is that you?” Blazing saw the white furred, blue haired unicorn and immediately knew it was his old friend.
“Shining Armor. We meet again.” The two laughed and hugged.

Blazing met with Shining in his office. The two talked about life since they last meant. Shining brought up a special somepony.
“I remember her from school. She was always the most popular, being an alicorn and all. We started dating last year after you graduated. We’re going steady now.”
“Yeah. I remember hearing about Cadence. How someone like you get with a princess, I’ll never know.”
“Actually, she was my sister’s foalsitter. There are benefits of Celestia having a special interest in your sister. Anyway. What about you? Have you met someone?”
“I met Edna, the old lunch lady from middle school, at a grocery store back in Delamare.” Shining and Blazing laughed.
“Now that’s someone out of your league that not even Celestia can control.” Shining joked.
“Yeah. I haven’t been looking. It’s not really my top priority. Remember, I still gotta fix the
West Delamare garrison. Some of the guards still have… childish tendencies.”

Blazing had a few hours before he had to meet with Silver Crest, so the two friends went out to the hills around Canterlot where they used to throw knives into the trees. One day at the academy, one of their other pals had stolen a pistol from the armory. He bragged about it, toyed with it, flipped it around, and accidentally shot Blazing. The ball grazed Blazing’s left leg. He patched it up as best he could, but after infection set in, he was forced to report to the infirmary. He told the nurses it was from a fireworks accident. To this day, he still wasn’t sure if they believed him.
Shining was just recalling the story to him when they heard rustling somewhere over a small hill. Perhaps they’d stumbled upon a few more students pulling similar antics. To avoid someone else getting shot, they rushed over. As they were coming over the hill cracking jokes the stopped when they saw a diamond dog sprint away from them at full speed. Remembering that robbery turned violent in Manehattan last week, he flew after him. The dog ran back into the city and stood in the middle of the road. Blazing drew his flintlock pistol and pointed it at him.
“Stop! Put your hands over your head and drop to your knees!” One guard ran in behind Blazing and blew his whistle.
“You civilized folk are gonna get what’s comin’ to ya! The boss man doesn’t like to be messed with!” The diamond dog reached into his vest and pulled out a bomb and a lighter. “Arabian gunpowder, a pinch of datura powder and some shrapnel for added fun!” People started looking out of their windows, one of them, a foal. Maybe seven years old. “Which one am I gonna pick! Which one! Hoo hoo hoo! Which one!”
“Drop that bomb right now! Do it!”
“Why you gotta spoil the fun! Let’s see. Which do I choose?”
“I said drop it!”
“Not gonna happ’n cap’n!” Other guards and local police surrounded him from all sides. The dog quickly lit the fuse and aimed for the window the child was looking out of. “Eenie. Skipping straight to mo!” He was immediately shot in the back of the head. One of the guards ran to the bomb and pinched the fuse. Blazing kept his gun pointed at the dog.
“Thanks for the help kid.” Blazing thought he was thanking the young guard for taking the shot, but when he turned around, he saw Shining had stolen the guard’s gun and shot the diamond dog himself. He looked panicked and was panting and sweating. He had a look of horror on his face. Blazing knew shock when he saw it. What’s worse was the pistol was double barreled. Which meant Shining could still shoot someone whether friend or foe. Blazing slowly holstered his gun. And put his hand up to shoulder level. “Hey. Buddy. Put the gun down, alright? Slowly.” Shining calmed down and handed the other guard his gun.
“Sorry about that.” Shining sighed. Blazing. Can I talk to you for a sec?” He gestured to behind a wall while still looking shaken.
“Yeah. Sure.” He turned to the other guard. “You know how to handle this, right?”
“Yes sir.”
“Good.” He gave him a pat on the back.

The two sat down behind the wall. Shining brought his legs in close. “I feel awful. What’d I just do?”
“You just saved lives.”
“But did it have to be like that? I just gunned someone down!”
“He was about to blow up a child, Shining.”
“What would Twilight have thought if she saw that. What would Cadence think? What would Mom and Dad think!?”
“Hey. Look at me buddy. You did what you had to do.”
“I could’ve just shot him in the arm. Maybe the leg. Maybe just scared him.”
“Shining, you couldn’t have hit him in the arm.”
“But I hit his head, didn’t I!”
“Look. Shining. Tell me what’s bugging you the most. I don’t think it was having to kill him. Rather, what others would think of you doing so. Am I right?”
“You’re right.” Shining sighed. “I made reservations at a restaurant for Cadence and me. I was supposed to take her out tonight. I was going to propose to her! But this just ruins everything! I can’t present a ring to her with these hands! I’ve also got to do so much paperwork! I’ll have to cancel my reservation.
“Maybe not today, but you’ll give her that ring.” This wasn’t like the time that idiot shot Blazing in the leg. That diamond dog was dead. He couldn’t just fool some nurses into believing this was a dumb fireworks accident. He was dead with a clear gunshot wound on the back of his head. Blazing rubbed Shining’s back as he sobbed into his knees.